Conversational AI will change how we deliver an exceptional customer experience

AI has a lot to offer when it comes to managing information. Working together, conversational AI and Knowledge Management challenge the value of the CX Maturity Model, which is traditionally used to assess the next steps toward the Cloud.  The conversational AI market is projected to reach $377 billion in revenue by 2032.

Source: Gartner – Emerging Tech: Revenue Opportunity Projection of Conversational AI

Why Conversational AI works

Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) simulates human conversations. Similar to how a child learns to talk, AI learns how we phrase things, what we mean, and how we use follow-up questions through natural language processing (NLP).  The AI keeps learning and improving its response until it begins to understand what your customers are really asking for. Then, the customer — and the customer service agent — get a faster resolution.

The AI program/chatbot can interact directly with customers to resolve straightforward enquiries in a customer-facing channel. AI can deliver background on the enquiry as a tool for contact centre agents to help the agent serve the customer better and faster.  Where does this fit into the world of Knowledge Management?

Feeding the Knowledge Management System with AI

A Knowledge Management System (KMS) supports the practice of identifying, organising, storing, and sharing information across organisations. It's the single source of truth (SSOT), impacting how your business trains staff, resolves customer enquiries and meets risk and compliance requirements.  The traditional KMS relies on humans providing it with the information it needs to store and share. As with any human-reliant process, there are severe legal and reputational risks associated with inaccurate or obsolete information being provided to a customer via any channel.

With Conversational AI connected to a KMS, changes to the SSOT are controlled with access management policies.  Changes made to stored information are recorded and easily accessible, with auditing capability for organisations that require a high level of regulation, transparency, and accountability.

Conversational AI also records customer interactions and feedback to train itself to better understand the information it has access to. With time, the AI can organise and store information more intuitively and update relevant information automatically as needed. Feedback from a customer that the provided answer wasn’t relevant is valuable data and helps deliver a higher-quality response next time.

There’s potential for customer-facing AI – like chatbots and virtual assistants – to take on some of the load from contact centres and deliver customer service from anywhere at any time.

Transforming CX with AI and a KMS

With Conversational AI and Knowledge Management working together, CX can improve dramatically across domains.

Ease of access to accurate information

Think of a chatbot on a website. A customer submits an enquiry, and the AI takes the information it has and context clues from the customer to compose and deliver a response.  This can include answering FAQs and providing updates on critical issues affecting service and company policies. The information is controlled and maintained by the KMS protocols, ensuring it is accurate, appropriate, and consistent.

Identification of automation opportunities

Using the SSOT within the KMS, AI can positively exploit company information, policies, and procedures. Consider how automating key communications messages, sales messages, and policies could promote your organisation.  Could the frequency of customer interactions inform proactive communications plans, business strategies and leadership decisions?

The tool that teaches itself

AI's ability to learn from interactions and feedback offers huge potential for continuous improvement within your organisation. Reporting and insights generated by AI can help inform investments in future enhancements, product and service development, and customer service processes.

It can even help you personalise your interactions so much that customers will barely notice they’re interacting with a computer.  Customer satisfaction will boom with better quality, personalised interactions, quicker resolution, and a higher accuracy rate.

NEC’s Conversational AI (CAI) is powered by Creative Virtual, who are recognised by Frost & Sullivan as a world leader in virtual agent, chatbot, and live chat solutions.

• Integration with SSO, CRM and other data sources to provide personalised responses
• Multi-channel deployment across web, mobile, social, messaging platforms, SMS, contact centre, service desk, live chat, IVR and voice assistants
• Machine learning combines with human input for advanced self-learning

Employees benefiting from the union of AI and KM

While there are plenty of advantages for each, Conversational AI and Knowledge Management together have the potential to completely reshape CX beyond the bounds of the CX Maturity Model.  With AI resolving more of the everyday enquiries, your customer service agents can handle the tricky questions using AI and the KMS.  And don’t forget the value for employees – make their work day seamless with easier access to information.

Seamless, personalised conversations across touchpoints. Ask us how